Purchasing Quality Materials - Here's how to select the STRAIGHTEST boards

A bag of concrete is a bag of concrete – there’s nothing special about a bag of concrete. But when it comes time to select the lumber that you will be using for your BrickWood Oven or BrickWood Box, make sure you take the time to VISUALLY INSPECT and CHERRY-PICK the BEST boards and sheets of lumber that are available.

NEVER let a lumber associate or Johnny Quarterback who’s working at his uncle’s lumber yard during summer vacation pick your lumber for you. They will simply grab the first sticks off the pile and put them on your cart – regardless of how warped, cracked, bent, broken or knot-ridden that lumber is. ONLY HAND SELECT AND ACCEPT PREMIUM STUDS!


LAY EACH BOARD ON THE GROUND VERTICALLY AND VISUALLY CHECK FOR WARPING. THEN TURN THE BOARDS 90° SO EACH BOARD IS LAYING HORIZONTALLY – AGAIN, CHECK FOR WARPING.


Also – All Big Box hardware stores cut OSB on-site, but NOT 2”x4”s. Before you go lumber shopping, call some of your town’s local Mom & Pop lumber stores and see if they will cut OSB AND 2”x4”s. This way, you will get ALL of your wood pre-cut to our exact Pre-Cut Wood Dimensions (next page), and they do all the work! BONUS!

Make sure you take a tape measure with you and double-check their cuts before you pay for wood and drive away!


It seems like it’s getting harder and harder to find a good piece of quality lumber that is straight - both vertically and horizontally. Make sure you lay your boards on the ground a visually inspect each piece to ensure the boards are perfect with few knots. NO WARPED BOARDS!


Provide the PRE-CUT LUMBER DIMENSIONS to your lumber associate and they can cut your sheets of OSB to the EXACT dimensions using their industrial table saw. Not only will this give your sheets of OSB precision measurements, but now, you don’t have to cut the wood yourself. FREE LABOR!